Im really not sure about this - Asthma Message Board

webartethan · 04-14-2009, 09:03 AM

I might be taking things too far with this situation.

I am 31 and just moved out of my parents house and in with two people I have been friends with since Jr High School. I have a history of epilepsy and asthma. the epilepsy was cured 3 years ago and the last known asthma attack I had was when I was 2 years old. One of my roommates is a smoker. I noticed when I first moved in during February i developed a cough and runny nose. the runny nose went away but the cough is still bothering me.

I have noticed that every time I get in the car to go to work I still cough but it calms down and almost goes completely away by the time Im at work. It doesn't start again till I get home. Last week however. I was driving to work and while behind the wheel I started coughing so heavily that it was difficult for me to keep my head up so I decided to pull over. A cop a few cars behind me may have sen what was going on because he decided to pull over behind me. Just as he arrived the coughing stopped however I was breathing really heavily. He asked me to get out of the car and walk around for a bit so I did. It to a while but my breathing went back to normal. The cop did ask for my license and registration and I explained all this to him. He didn't give me any more difficulty because the license and registration was valid.

I am almost 100 percent sure the cough is connected with my roommated smoking but since But since it lasts a bit outside of the house could this be a sigh of my asthma condition effecting me again after 29 years?

footsiedee · 04-14-2009, 04:58 PM

hi there. sorry you are experiencing this. i never really had a problem while at 'home' (parents), but then, my mother was an excellent stay at home housekeeper/mom. me, i work lots, and clean not so much. i pay for it when the house gets dusty. first time roommates arent always good at cleaning like our moms were. also, being around the smoking is an absolute no-no, your body is trying to tell you. just my opinion, but only an assessment by asthma doc can tell you for sure. i wouldnt wait. considering that you are having this reaction now, right after changing your environment that may tell you something. i would tell your doctor. i never took my asthma seriously, it was an annoyance. but this past year or two, i never leave home without my inhalers. the smoking may be creating inflammation in your lungs, and that may not necessarily resolve as soon as you get away from the smoke, as the inflammation may take time to resolve. but since you return to the smoke environment you sustain the problem. i hope you see your doc for advice. its a matter of life and breath.! Dee